


A Journey for the Past

by Apnightwing14



Category: Anastasia (1997), Anastasia - Flaherty/Ahrens/McNally, Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Anastasia (1997 & Broadway) Fusion, Amnesia, Fluff, Found Family, Gen, I beta 5 minutes before i post or at midnight, Not Beta Read, and only once i never read through twice, child theta is so adorable, hurt near the end, im only writing this beause i love this story so much and the whoniverse as well, jack harkness flirting, thirteen being snarky
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-18
Updated: 2020-11-16
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:54:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25966204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Apnightwing14/pseuds/Apnightwing14
Summary: The time-lords of Gallifrey used to rule over the most advanced civilization in the known universe. The time-lords adhered to a strict "no interference policy" and used that as a reason to refuse to share technology that would help improve the universe and the normal Galifreyans as well. An organization took this response into their own hands and killed all members of the twelve great houses of Gallifrey that the time-lords belonged to.Or so they thought. When one little girl is thought to have gotten away, a few members of the Gallifreyan underworld try to find her to redeem a reward from her remaining family. When the rumors of her survival are spread, those who want the permanent extinction of the time-lords try to find her before anyone else can to ensure that they are ended.An Anastasia AU with characters from the Doctor Who universe.
Kudos: 5





	1. Prolouge

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first fanfic I plan on keeping uploaded regardless of how it works out. This is mainly a passion project of mine because I love the plot of Anastasia and how it's very simple that way, and lovely for character interactions because they are in mundane, extreme, sad, and stressful situations. It was also easy for me to find pairs for each character with a really food pairing.   
> For those of you who like River, I do too but...looking closer at her character and her interaction with the Doctor it has an extreme imbalance of power on both ends. After thinking analytically about River, I decided I like her personality and conception of her (living in reverse). I didn't like the amount of knowledge she holds over the Doctor, or how she has had her life revolve around her and was stuck with him until her death. It's not healthy for either of them, and Gleb has a similar obsession with Anastasia, so River won't be evil, but there will be un unbridled harsh look at the things that made River Song who she is. So don't read if you only like River wholistically, because I WILL be looking at her detailed history and keeping her actions as accurate as I can as if she never learned about who she would become and changed her actions accordingly. 
> 
> Anyways, Please read and comment or drop a kudos if you like it!!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gallifrey is the sparkling gem of the seventeen systems and the time-lords that resided there were the most advanced civilization in the universe, however, the Corsair could care less about all the pomp the time-lords possessed. The corsair and those bearing their symbol are the only ones allowed to leave the planet.
> 
> The Corsair has hated the last few people they have granted that gift to until they meet a little girl. Theta was the type of open curiosity and genuine desire to learn that the Corsair wanted to be able to travel off-world. 
> 
> The Order of the Silence has desired the eradication of the time-lords and would cause a halt in the Corsair's plans as well to take this little girl off-world and to make her happy as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the first fanfic I plan on keeping uploaded regardless of how it works out. This is mainly a passion project of mine because I love the plot of Anastasia and how it's very simple that way, and lovely for character interactions because they are in mundane, extreme, sad, and stressful situations. It was also easy for me to find pairs for each character with a really good pairing.
> 
> For those of you who like River, I do too but...looking closer at her character and her interaction with the Doctor it has an extreme imbalance of power on both ends. After thinking analytically about River, I decided I like her personality and conception of her (living in reverse). I didn't like the amount of knowledge she holds over the Doctor, or how she has had her life revolve around her and was stuck with him until her death. It's not healthy for either of them, and Gleb has a similar obsession with Anastasia, so River won't be evil, but there will be un unbridled harsh look at the things that made River Song who she is. So don't read if you only like River wholistically, because I WILL be looking at her detailed history and keeping her actions as accurate as I can as if she never learned about who she would become and changed her actions accordingly.
> 
> Anyways, Please read and comment or drop a kudos if you like it!!

For years the dome that held the citadel let only those of great wealth, renown, or potential reside. These residents were further referred to as Time-Lords by those on Gallifrey. The time-lords had made great advances in technology and warfare which allowed them the power many desired in the galaxy. 

Ruling Gallifrey was the twelve great houses. Each house elected two of its residents to help be in the ruling party of Gallifrey. Most of these members were mainly concerned with keeping their house, and the time-lords in power. Most members of the houses weren't allowed to go off-planet in order to keep Time-Lord technology secret. 

The one person who was free to travel anywhere in the Galaxy was the Corsair and the few people allowed to wear their seal. The Corsair was one of the oldest members of the council, and in a group focused on tradition, that earned them a lot of leeway along with the people who are in their favor.

The Corsair was on her tenth life-cycle as a male and was growing tired of politics, but still loved to travel and meet people. She revisited earth at least once a year but for the past five life cycles or about a thousand years, no one had been gifted her symbol. The Ouroboros remained solely on her person in the form of a tattoo. The few people she allowed to go off-planet have been condescending to the native life forms and only wanted it for the esteem.

Two life-cycles later as a female while attending one of the formal events held when there was a new member elected to the council, she met a whole new house that has risen to power to become one of the twelve. The house was very unconventional due to them not holding similar values that the other houses held. 

Mostly all Time-Lords valued ambition and innovation, with most houses valuing using any tactic to achieve that. From cheating and blackmail to assassinations and murder, the new house that rose wanted hard work and dignity to be the way to achieve it. Other houses were so strict about their bloodline(s) only allowing intermarriage or marriage into only one of the other great houses. The new House Lungbarrow married for love and had children that way, allowing them into the official house if desired. They also adopted children that were in need of it. 

The Corsair was able to meet the adopted child that has caused so much uproar. The child was found as a baby abandoned in an alley and no one knew if the child was even Gallifreyan. The House Lungbarrow took the child in and raised them as their own. Even after adoption the child, known as Theta, caused issues. She was wonderfully intelligent, especially in the sciences. Most time-lord children were exceedingly smart, performing calculus at the same time Earth children are learning basic multiplication. 

Theta was exceptional at physics, especially thermodynamics, but had a strong discipline problem and nearly failed out of her first few years of school due to that. The Corsair met Theta when she was in a corner, fiddling with a bit of metal and wires while the other children present were running around competing with each other. 

The conversation that resulted between the two meeting was filled with so many questions the Corsair didn't know which were answered and which were overlooked trying to keep up with the rapid pace they were being spat out. She knew then that this child would love to travel off-world when older and would use it to help develop her mind rather than increase the feeling of superiority so many time-lords have. 

The conversation lasted for the rest of the night until the child fell asleep in the middle of another question. The Corsair held the girl until she was acquired by her family. While waiting the Corsair has decided that she would gladly give this child a ticket off-world. She was so curious and wanted to discover all the secrets of the universe.

It didn't take long for the girl's family member to come around and grab her. It was a young man with half-moon glasses attached to a chain. He didn't see the face of who was holding her and said the typical parental response of "Thank You for watching my child. I am so sorry for any trouble she has caused you." and started to lift her up off the Corsair's lap.

"It is no issue, my dear boy. I quite enjoyed her company and I think the feeling was mutual." She replied with a smile ecstatic at knowing who to contact about granting her off-world travel.

The boy jumped quickly, looking into the face of the woman who cared for Theta that night. "Lady Corsair! I am so sorry you were stuck with her most of the night. A person of your status shouldn't have to watch a child. Can you ever forgive me?" he said, almost dropping Theta from his arms. 

The Corsair laughed, knowing that she would be presented with the utmost formality due to her being an elder time-lord and the longest seating on the council. "It is fine my dear boy. Did you hear my last statement? Because if you did, every word you heard was absolutely correct."

He paused to think about the words then bowed and left her to her life. The Corsair had time to think about the impact this one child had on her in two hours compared to thousands of years of welcoming people off-world. 

The conversations between the Corsair and Theta continued for the following years. The conversations went less from one-sided questions about surefire facts to open-ended questions about morals and philosophy. At each major event that was held in the great houses, Theta and the Corsair would talk. Both of them were kindred spirits and their chance meeting ended up becoming a mentorship over the years they knew each other. 

It was the fifth year of their allyship. Theta was now eight and could challenge the Corsair on various topics, where the Corsair made a pocket watch with her symbol on it to allow her to travel off-world. 

The event was in full swing, the music swelling, and the dancing perfectly synchronized. When the Corsair arrived she spotted Theta dancing with the young man she met on a similar night five years ago, Theta's older brother, Irving. Irving was actually Theta's main caretaker, but he hated being called dad, so he and Theta agreed on calling him her brother. 

Theta spotted her but knew it wasn't polite to move away from the dance before it was finished. When it eventually finished she gave Irving a quick bow and ran over to the Corsair, wrapping her waist in a tight hug. The girl's arms were slightly above her head but the strength and energy behind it weren't lost. Theta pulled the two of them to the corner they have used for the past five years to no one's surprise. Even though all present have vied for the Corsair's attention, they knew that young eight-year-old Theta was the one who finally earned it to many's surprise.

"It is almost time for my yearly earth trip you know Theta." the Corsair started

Theta started to pout. "Why won't you take me with you?"

"But I do each time, I have journals filled with your questions that I write the answers in. But I have something for you to remember me by when I am gone." The Corsair pulled out a silver pocket watch, with circular Gallifreyan on the top.

"Can you read what this says for me Theta?" she asked

Theta pulled the object closer to her face, poking her tongue out in concentration. 

"Earth is our home." She started to smile wide, absolutely beaming at the implications. 

"Look on the inside" she responded to Theta letting her know where her symbol was so she could leave when she wanted to.

"Theta, next year you can come with me to Earth." she pointed to the ouroboros on the inside. "This is my symbol, it will get you off-planet whenever you want and will remind you of me when you see this symbol."

Theta was ecstatic. "Corsair, does this mean that I can go to earth with you next year? Can I see a koala bear, I love the idea of koala bears. They are so peaceful and lazy but will kill someone if threatened. How can so much violence be held in a small, peaceful creature anyway Corsair?"

The Corsair started to laugh, It went about as well as she thought it would go. The mind on this girl was vast and endless. It was filled with an endless set of questions. It hit the point where the directors of the academy were threatening permanent retirement due to all the questions this girl had. Theta was name-checked when one of her previous teachers dropped off the face of Gallifrey for three months leaving only a note saying that if they "weren't back in a year, they died''. Theta was the "wild child who asks questions and doesn't follow instructions" that caused the sudden disappearance to recover. 

At the height of the party, the Corsair and Theta decided to be partners for the folk dance that signaled the half-way point before the band left. The dance was lively and reminded the Corsair of the Irish jigs she heard when frequenting earth pubs over the last years of her very long life. The actual steps themself were more similar to the French Quadrille. 

As the music was dying and the applause started the lights blacked out not allowing people to see two inches in front of them. When the lights came back on, all of the time-lords were surrounded by soldiers from The order of the Silence. 

The Order was founded on the belief that since the Time-lords seemed to be a myth due to them not helping benefit the universe at all, they would make the time-lords a myth by killing them all and spreading the technology throughout the universe. The ultimate goal was an allied galaxy under the Order's beliefs of complete equality where all residents had the same rights and access to resources. 

The woman standing on the top of the sage in front of the musicians gave a signal and they opened fire on the crowd. The Corsair grabbed Theta and bolted for the door. Before making it to the door, a young man with brown hair ran in front of the two and shoved the two down the corridor he came out of saving them from the gunshots. 

The man was confronted by a soldier but wasn't shot immediately due to the quality of his formal wear. He was scanned and registered as a normal Gallifreyan and was questioned as to where "The Corsair and the girl" went. When he wouldn't answer he was knocked out. The soldier who concussed the man took a small squadron to get after the remaining two time-lords on the run. 

In the lower part of the Citadel, there were many foot soldiers shooting anyone who registered as a time-lord by their scanners. With them blocking almost every exit the Corsair pulled Theta to the off-world shuttle that the Order was offering to the normal Gallifreyans who were wanting a life far away from the original place the timelords lorded over them, ruining their quality of life. Due to the sheer number of people, they were welcoming people based off of their state of dress. The Corsair and Theta have been running and dodging violence that their finery now looked like really shabby clothing. 

The Corsair was readily welcomed aboard by the soldier, but the shuttle was full, the last one out, and couldn't fit Theta. The Corsair tried to pull her along, but the guard pulled her away from the Corsair, resulting in Theta hitting her head and being caught in the fumes the shuttle released.

The Corsair was devastated that Theta was injured and not with her, crying all the way to the transport hub. Not wanting to deal with the pain, she contacted her old friend who avoided the party by retreating to earth, Grace O'Brien. She told Grace the situation and Grace didn't want to be alone either because her husband Graham was still on Gallifrey as well. 

When the Corsair made it to earth, the two women drank until they were drunk for a week straight. At the end of the week, they thought logically about the chances the two time lords would still be alive. Graham regularly helped the kitchen staff make food, offering tips, and sharing recipes with them as well. He was well-liked by the serving staff of the capitol and would have at least one of their support to keep alive. Theta had the fact that the soldier thought she was Gallifreyan and was a child as well.

They then kept the next few years waiting for news. Grace eventually got a coded message from Graham saying that he was saved by a young man who was a servant. He remembered the way he treated the staff and how he was a "Grandad" figure for the younger staff, giving him approval in the eyes of The Order. There was no word from Theta, so the Corsair with the help of Grace created a reward for whoever could bring Theta back safely, allowing the last of the timelords to live out their last days in relative peace.

The peace Grace and the Corsair so desired would be harder to obtain due to Gallifrey being the last planet they needed to win over in order to have the entire constellation of Kasterborous, with all of its seventeen solar systems included, under their control. The Order started to enact their plan on all seventeen solar systems, and they held absolute control regardless if their citizens ended up enjoying the new freedoms, or if they just considered it a new dictatorship.


	2. The Rumour, The Legend, The Mystery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ten years have passed and The Order is still holding power over the seven systems. During a time of need, the hope is kept alive by someone spreading a rumor that Theta is still alive, making her the last of the time-lords. Jack and Graham plan to profit off this rumor to get off-world and either free from The Order or back to their loved ones.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's chapter two. Thank you to all of those who read the first chapter convincing me to get off my ass and start writing again. I usually don't take this long to post, but I had orientation and called into work twice this week on days that I reserve for writing/sewing. 
> 
> Anyway, done with excuses here's the second chapter. Please enjoy and if you like it please drop a kudos or comment as well. Anyway, enjoy!

For the past ten years, the Order was able to keep its stronghold on the seventeen systems of Kasterberous. They placed one of the higher-ranked women in charge of Gallifrey, trusting her to turn over all of the advanced technology to them. In return for her loyalty, Madam Kovarian was left to control Galifrey as she deemed fit, as long as it kept to the guidelines presented by the Order. 

It was Wednesday morning, the day Madam Kovarian and River Song were in the square of the capitol. The citadel was now a number, based on the population in the systems. The citadel was Area 13 due to it being the thirteenth largest living area in the systems. The two women gave a bi-weekly speech on the ideals of the Order, and how they cared deeply about the citizens that still lived here.

One man stood in a long coat, unimpressed with the woman speaking, knowing that she could care less about them and only cared about maintaining power. Leaning over to speak to the group of ladies he stated, "She can say that the Order cares about our butts, but I can say for sure that yours' are looking fine today ladies. The women were very flattered by the compliment but didn't take him up on the offer. Jack was infamous in area 13 as a con-man and could make Casanova blush with how much he got around. 

"Jack," an older man said, "I got you the theatre but be careful because I don't want to end up in front of a firing squad again."

Jack let out a resounding chuckle, one that most loved to hear in the desperate situation they ended up in. His smile matched it, with his eyes going tight and showing too many teeth you got a sense of childish glee from him as well. 

"Don't worry Graham no one will catch us, and we only need to be half believable when we find the girl. Grace will take one look at you, you silver fox, and will believe anything we say. All we need to find now is a half believable Theta." Jack addressed to Graham. 

Jack was a well-practiced con man, refining his skills over the past ten years. Graham was Jack's moral compass and kept him from doing too many questionable cons. Together the two worked great, both wanted off-world (for vastly different reasons) and knew that the other was their best chance at that. 

"Ladies!" Jack said. "You know this speech by now. The whole 'A brighter day is dawning, its almost at hand' but we know that the sky is grey, all the walls have ears, and ifi you argue you disappear. But we all can 'hail this brave new land'".

During Jack's rant he attracted a crowd with his charismatic charm and animated manner of speaking. 

"'You know this area is really very friendly' I said to my one friend. And he responded with 'really, I heard different'. He wasn't wrong so I had to add the clause 'it's friendly if you don't mind spies'. And...thank the lord for that time-lords aren't in power." Jack added quickly due to Madame Kovarian and River walking by at that exact moment. 

Madame Kovarian and River continued walking, knowing that the power they held was still strong if people would spit rhetoric back at them whenever they pass, regardless of what they were talking about previously. There were various vendors and workers in the street working during their walk to their headquarters. 

They were nearly a block away when a truck backfired causing a blonde girl in a ragged grey coat to scream and drop to the ground getting as close to behind a cart as she could. River felt sympathy suddenly, even though she didn't know her at all. 

"It's alright Miss. It was just a truck backfiring, there are no more shootings." River tried to calm the girl who was still shaking. "You're shaking. Can I treat you to tea at the shop around the corner-?" The question was barely out of her mouth when the girl responded with a solid no. 

"I thank you Ma'am, but I can't lose this job. Is hard to find new ones."

River felt saddened at the quickened response. She started to respond with the offer if needed, but the girl was already moving on. As she looked at her in the distance, she said quietly to herself "I'm here every day.". With that, River and Madame Kovarian finished the block that would lead to their headquarters.

On the other side of town, in a set of abandoned factories, there was a black market that sold old items that supposedly belonged to now dead timelords.

"Lord Rassilons Pyjamas! Come on and buy the pair!"

"One Credit for this painting. It's Omega's! I swear!"

"I found this in the citadel! Its lines with real fur!"

At that Graham told Jack, "it could be worth a fortune if it belonged to her."

Jack got eh message and traded the two credits for the coat. Settling the coat over his shoulders, he turned to Graham. 

"Do you believe in fairy tales Graham?" Jack asked cheekily.

"Once upon a time I did," he responded playing along.

They both laughed on their way out of the alley. 

"Get ready Graham! Were going to spin a fairy tale the entire galaxy will believe."

"Based on a rumor," Graham added in an attempt to get Jack from putting too much faith into their scheme to get off-world. 

"No! It's about the rumor. The legend. The mystery associated with time lord society. Those bastards were so secretive that no one knows anything about them. So the fact that a girl could be one of the last entices a lot of buzzes.

"Plus, if we find her you and I friend will go down in history." Jack pulled the both of them onto a crate just on the inside of an alley. Jack leaned well into Graham's personal space, absolutely serious for once in his life. 

"All we need is to find a girl to play the part, we'll teach her what to say, dress her up, and bring her to Earth. And plus, imagine the reward The Corsair would pay. Who could pull it off unless it's you and me?" Straightening up on the chair, he extended his hand to Graham to shake in a form of agreement. Graham took the bait and joined his hand in his shake. 

"Now Graham, 'We'll be rich'" Jack said

"We'll be rich" Graham echoed.

"We'll be out"

"We'll be out"

"And Area 13 will have some gossip for the rumor mill for the next few years."

Graham tried to get Jack to talk the logical side of things as he leads the way back to the citadel that they resided, their secret to all but those in the underworld of area 13.  
The walk was through large vast arches with the remnants of painted ceilings and had peeling red paint on the walls. The two of them lived in the servant quarters due to the ease of heating, and access to tunnels in case The Order found out about their con. 

"We can use the theater here to hold auditions. The only ones who don't know we're here are The Order or those under a rock. So we can also teach her here if we find her."

Jack brushed off his comments "Yeah Yeah. Hey, Graham. How much do you remember about her and the culture."

"Oh I remember everything and everyone, in fact, you get me a book with all the names of the time-lords I could tell you how they're relat...no- I barely remember the people unless they weren't part of the elected. Its been a decade since I've had to remember names and faces." He said leaving to sit down. 

Jack remembered that night vividly. He was sure he was the only one who remembered those events. The corsair had no reason to remember a grubby teen who helped her escape when she lost her entire home and family. And the girl, Theta, she was a kid and possibly dead. He knew he would protect that secret untill absolutely necessary. 

In Area 13, there wasnt much that was unknown, so if you had a secret you kept it close to the heart, and if you played your hand correctly could end up with a flush and that is exactly what Jack intended to do. FInd a girl, get to earth and dupe the Corsair. After those three things he is free to do whatever and go wherever. And he could not wait.


	3. A Chance Encounter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> IF there's one thing Jack hates more than waiting, it's bad acting. It offends him as a con man. But what if she isn't actually acting?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for disappearing off the face of the earth but a Double Major and two jobs will do that to you, so here's a long chapter to make up for it. I am so grateful for those of you who are reading this and it was the big point for me to actually continue this now instead of next year while on break. A whole five pages to get through and was a gem to write. 
> 
> As always thank you and enjoy

"Could this day be any longer?" Jack whispered to Graham, leaning to the left in his chair to do so. 

"Jack. It's only eleven in the morning, and the third girl we've auditioned today. If you want to get off of this planet you will stay here with me and get through this list" Graham held up the list which was five pieces of paper attached to each other, with names on the back and the front as well. 

Jack just slouched further into his chair, unhappily sitting through the rest of the girl's audition. When she started to fake cry, she sounded like a goat and he has had enough of her. Leaving his seat he grabbed her arm and lead her quickly, but politely, to the door with empty thank yous falling from his mouth. Graham was crossing out her name, following their system. Crossed out for an absolute no, circled for a yes, and stared for a maybe. 

"Jack, while your there will you see if the next girl is out there," Graham told him to do, regardless of his phrasing of it like a question. And he did, to his surprise there was a line of girls scattered in the general area of the citadel. 

"Graham," Jack called out. "I think you might want to get rid of that list."

Graham, not quite getting what Jack was referencing got up to look himself. In the area were some girls who looked nothing like a young Theta, and some who looked almost exactly like Jack thought she would when grown up. Graham and Jack were very happy that Theta wasn't old enough to regenerate when she went missing because that made their job ten times easier.

Because they foolishly agreed to see any girl who showed up Graham suggested having the girls with absolutely no similarities go in a big group so they could filter through a large chink, then small groups that only needed minor changes such as hair color, then the very similar girls individually. 

In town, one woman who Jack stood up was the cause of the sudden influx of the crowd. She was telling any girl who would listen about the auditions hoping that they would get flooded and annoyed by them, that Jack would be happy to see her again. 

She knew that it was petty to do that, but so what standing her up. "An Eye for an Eye" as they say. She had a secondary motivation in case her initial plan didn't work out. She was hoping that she could convince them to take her by saying that she lead the correct Theta to them, which would be true. 

The day dragged on for the three slower than molasses in Siberia. Graham and Jack stuck watching girls that were horrible actresses or blatantly rude. While she was stuck hunting down more girls to ensure that they got an actual possibility. She found a girl who was walking around, seeming to try and ask a question but was continuously brushed off by the men she tried to ask for assistance or ridiculed by the women she tried to ask. 

The girl was of average height but walked with the presence of a full-grown man. She took up so much space that people didn't like to see on women. Her coat was a tattered powder blue. Other than that it was all cheaper men's clothes, half-broken suspenders holding slightly too long black trousers with a threadbare blue button-down underneath. 

When Jack talked about what Theta looked like to her, she remembers her being blonde. That pissed her off to no end, every single girl or guy Jack talked-about dating was blonde with two exceptions, some random guy named Ianto, and her. 

She approached her cautiously to give an air of nonchalance in order to not scare her off. 

"Men, you can never get anything out of them unless you submit to their opinions," she said starting to circle the girl to see her face. "And you definitely don't fit their ideals, so maybe I can help you instead." she walked up to the girl's side, putting an arm around her shoulders. The girl's bewilderment went quickly to annoyance as she tried to politely shove off her arm.

"I know everyone and everything that happens in this area, and I can almost definitely get you what you need" she leaned in closer to her ear to whisper "even if it is illegal." 

The girl finally got out from under her arm and looked at her, trying to decide if she could trust her or not. The girl's eyes were dark green in the sunlight, bordering on brown from a distance. The girl couldn't hide anything she was thinking of from showing up on her face. It leads her to wonder how the girl has survived this long in area 13. Her face lifted up, then down, then her eyebrows raised again, her face scrunched, and she finally sighed and presented her with the request she has been denied from asking.

"I need papers to get off-world." the girl told her quietly.

She got so much happier at this and thanked whatever deity was popular in this system that life was smiling on her. She found the most viable candidate and was also had the correct motivation to go along with Jack's insanity. 

Knowing she would have to tempt her to get her to go along with the ploy, she started to walk in a circle, pretending to think about her options. She let this go on for about two minutes before deciding that it was long enough. She turned to the girl, pretending that she remembered now.

"Funny you say so...In the old citadel, there are two men looking for a girl who looks like you to take off the world with them."

The girl's eyes started to go wide in fear, her hands twitching and eyes darting. She realized how that came across, and realized that the girl has survived the past ten years by running. 

"Not like that. They need a third person to believably complete the correct forms to get off-world. And you fit the description on the papers to a T." she said, walking into the girl's space. 

"And what's the catch," she asked skeptically, body squaring up and straightening. 

The girl was smarter than she seemed, she realized. With the added bonus that it was a simple request she had no fear or need to play it off lightly. 

"I simply want you to tell them that Estelle Cole sent you. Now on your way, and ill know if you told them that also. As I said, I know everything that happens here."

The girl ran off after giving a quick thank you, hoping to make it to the citadel before night fell and the cold set in. 

Jack and Graham finally made it through all two-hundred girls that showed up, they dismissed the last one following her empty threats on revealing their scheme to the order. Jack wasn't scared because "At least they feed you in prison". As they were getting ready to set the fire in the drawing-room where they slept, there was a knock on the door to the theatre.

"Damn, I didn't think she would follow through with it!" Jack said rushing Graham out of the room.

"Hello?" a female voice said. 

Jack and Graham stopped their panic and they paused, just out of sight to see who it was. IN walked a blond lady who was of average height. 

"I'm looking for a Jack Harkness."

Jack stepped out from his hiding spot and stepped up to her towering over her with his almost extra foot of height he had on her. 

"I'm Jack. What do you want?"

She looked around nervously like she forgot what the reason was, or didn't know what to do. She offered her hand without making eye contact, too busy looking around the room at the items decorating the wall. All the undesirable decals left from the golden age of the citadel just like the people.

“I’m Jane. A friend of yours sent me to find you about getting off-world papers” she stopped shaking his hand by the end of the sentence but still has not made eye contact with him. 

Deciding to stay safe and not risk getting exposed he didn’t let in on the details of the papers.

“A friend?” He said. “I have so many friends, or enough fling’s to count as friends so you’ll have to be a little more specific.” He returned to his seat, getting an annoyed look from Graham. 

I’d anyone asked Jack, he would never admit to seeing Graham as a paternal figure. But he also wouldn’t deny that he felt ashamed whenever he got a disappointed look from him either. 

“Oh! ‘Yer friend's name!” Jack was nervous because her accent was very northern and honestly didn’t speak of the refined elegance the time lords were known for. 

“Her name was Estelle Cole”

Jack’s blood ran cold. Estelle was always interfering in his life and their son died already, so why would she keep trying to interfere with his life?

“Ok. Was there anything she wanted?” He asked the girl who started to act less curious.

“Just for me to tell you her name and that she sent me. She said you had a job that she thought I was perfect for.”

Jack, still annoyed at wasting time didn't even pause to process her statement. NOt registering Estelle Cole, the only person he trusted with their location. Or her appearance matching what she needed. 

"Yeah well, we already found the person we were looking for." He said escorting her out the door none too gently by the shoulder. When they ended up about a meter from the door, she stopped dead in her tracks. Jack continued walking and only stopped when she caught up with him and gave him a mildly hard slap across the face.

"Get yer head out of yer arse and look at me. Your friend circled me like a hawk and I'm not naive enough to not notice she was seeing what I looked like so stop being a pain and actually look at me."

She stepped back far enough that Jack's angled head could see the cuffed trousers with the work boots peeking out from underneath. He slowly looked up eying her as he went. 

Her boots were brown, scuffed, and stained meaning that she most likely worked in manual labor which was not surprising for Area 13. Her pants were a men's cut and very ill-fitting. They were plain black but had the same stain as the boots on it. Her shirt was an oversized button-down with a pen in the pocket which meant she could read, which made his job easier. Her coat was a tattered powder blue coat with a rainbow trim on the inside and a very large hood that could cover her whole face.

Her face is what astonished him the most. It was angular in the center but round at the edges. Her hair was blonde, the shorter cut giving him more of a reason to believe that she worked in a labor job, now specifically with machinery to reduce the chances of her hair being pulled out in the gears. 

Her eyes held him captive for quite a while. They were dark green on the outside and a mild brown on the inside. They held mirth for all that they have seen, but an age almost doubles of what she should for her age. Jack could tell that she has seen the horrors of the dismantling of the Time Lords and wasn't surprised in the slightest. If you were born in area 13, you never left. And if you were stupid enough to get caught in its webs there was no way out. 

When Jack looked at her face to address her instead of taking in her attributes he saw her smirking and he wanted nothing more than to wipe it right off of her face. So he shrugged with only his shoulders.

"You will do"

Jane was left standing there for a solid thirty seconds, baffled at his nonchlantness for literally sizing her up for the past two minutes, and was ready to lecture him about politeness until his ears bleed not knowing that this would be the start to a great friendship.


End file.
